Combine



March 26, 1940. H. J. HEKRDLE 2,194,975

COMBINE Filed Nov. 29, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. JHG/if'dl INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

March 26, 1940.

H. J. HEKRDLE COMBINE Filed NOV. 29, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet .2

A TTORNEYS March 26, 1940. I H. J. HEKRDLE 2,194,976

COMBINE Fil'ed Nov. 29, 1958 4 Sheetsheet 4 =I RI I m g In a: I I fi a Ium II II RI 3 n Q Q LO ii x i WI I I R I L L 3 g II I} I a I I m I I I IN I I q I I 7+ m I I I I; I I \3 I I H I II (D I I Q I- l I I W 8 my JRI I m m I I N 1 a a? s: If I HQEHIPLZZB INVENTOR. BY

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINE Henry J.Hekrdle, Redfield, S. Dak.

Application November 29, 1938, Serial No. 243,007

7 Claims. (01. 130-27) This invention relates to machines for harvestingand threshing grain, these being generally known as combines.

In machines of this character it has always been a problem to keep anaccurate record of the amount of grain delivered from the machine, thisbeing due to the fact that measuring devices have not always beenavailable. Some attempts have been made to mount scales on the combinefor the purpose of weighing the grain before it is delivered from themachine and while it is still in the field but such weighing deviceshave not been satisfactory due to the fact that the violent agitation towhich the machine is subjected while travelling over a field, has tendedto injure any weighing means employed by displacing or pro-. ducingundue wear upon the delicate parts.

An object of the present invention is to provide a combine utilizingweighing scales which normally are held against operation but which canreadily be brought into operative position while the machine is in thefield so that the contents of the grain hopper can be weighed prior tobeing delivered from the machine into wagons or other containers, itbeing possible thereafter to again lock the scales against objectionablemotion until the hopper has again been filled with grain ready to beweighed.

A further object is to provide mechanism which is simple and compact inconstruction, will not readily get out of order, and can be manipulatedreadily.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the

' invention consists of certain novel details of construction andcombinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed outin the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spiritof the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a combine equipped withthe present improvements.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the scale mechanism forming a partthereof, a portion being broken away.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5, Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical section through a portion of theweighing mechanism, showing one of the means employed for locking thegrain hopper against movement.

Figure '7 is a section on line 'll, Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a section through one of the bearings of the weighingmechanism. 5

Referring to the figures by characters of reference I designates .thewheel-supported frame of a combine the threshing portion 2 of which isprovided with an elevator 3 designed to carry the threshed grainupwardly and deliver it from a 10, spout 4 as ordinarily. In the presentstructure the frame I is provided with a superstructure 5 suitablybraced the upper portion of which supports, at the front, upper andlower transverse boards 6 and I while similar boards are also sup- 1,ported at the upper portion of the rear of the superstructure.

Mounted on each of the upper boards 6 is a pair of standards 8 eachhaving a longitudinal recess 9 providing a recessed jaw H7 at the upper2 be mounted on the stem for the purpose of hold- 30 ing it againstrotation after it has been adjusted to bring jaw I5 to any desireddistance from the plunger I3. I

A link I! is pivotally connected to and extends downwardly from eachplunger l3, the lower end 35 of each link being pivotally connected toan arm l8 extending upwardly from a transverse shaft [9 which isjournalled in bearings 20 carried by the boards L The spout 4 is adaptedto deliver grain into a 40,

hopper 2| located above the superstructure 5 and having a bottom 22which is inclined downwardly toward an outlet 23 normally closed by agate 24. This gate, which is preferably slidably mounted in suitablydisposed guides, is 5 adapted to be actuated by a link 25 which connectsit to a crank arm 26 extending from a transverse shaft' 21. This shaftextends beyond one side of the hopper and has an operating arm 28extending therefrom. Obviously by swinging this 5 arm 28 in onedirection the arm 25 will pull through link 25 and cause the gate 24 toopen, thereby allowing the contents of the hopper to gravitate throughthe outlet 23. By reversing the movement of the arm or handle 28,however,

the gate will close, this closing operation being facilitated by thegravitation of the parts to their normal or closed positions.

The hopper 2! has a rigid frame 23 connected thereto and extendingdownwardly therefrom, this frame being extended around the upperportions of the standards 8. Extending inwardly from opposed portions ofthe frame are lugs 39 provided with terminal balls 3| which arepositioned between the jaws ill and i5 so that when the jaws 55 aremoved upwardly, they will operate to clamp the ball-like terminals ofthe lugs against jaws 13 as shown in Figure 6, thereby holding thehopper 2i and its frame fixed relative to the standards 8 and thesuperstructure on which they are mounted.

The arms !3 and links I? cooperate to form toggles and when the arms l8are swung in one direction for the purpose of moving the links ll andplungers l3 upwardly, said arms will come against stops after the armshave passed their dead center and as shown by full lines Thus theplungers ill be held in elevated positions. It is to understood ofcourse that the stems i i and the jaws l5 t" reon are to be adjustedrelative t plungers s that when ti e plungers are raised, as shown, thelug 3!.- will be properly gripped and held.

Each of the shafts it is pro ided at one end with a crank arm 33 wherebythe shaft can be rotated readily to move the toggle into or out of plungr-supporting position.

Guide plates 35 can be secured to the inner sides of the standards 8 asshown particularly in Figure so that side shifting of frame and thehopper 2i thereo will thus be prevented.

Depending from each corner portion of the frame '28 is a foot 35 havingan. angular recess 3'? in the bottom thereof and each of these recessedfeet overlies a kn edge 3? extending upwardly from an 38 which, in turn,is extended radially from a shaft 3 Two of these shafts are provided,the same being arallel and being mounted at th ir ends in anti-frictionbearings carried by the superst ucture 5.

Secured to the respective shafts 39 and er tending toward each other arelevers 49 connected by a yoke 5-2 and, shown particularly in Figures 4.and 5, this yoke is extended over and bears upon an intermediate portionof a laterally extending lever 32 one end of which is pivotally mountedat 43 on a bracket 44.

Laterally extending lever 52 projects through a slot 45 in the inner ideof a housing 48 which can be relnovably mounted on one side of thesuperstructure 5 and, the structure illus trated, contains a tubularstandard M slotted longitudinally as at 38 to permit up and downswinging movementof lever 2 therein. This lever 42 is connected by a rod40 to a graduated scale beam 58 fulcrumed as at 5! upon the upper end ofthe standard and carrying suitably arranged weights 52.

When the lugs and their ball extensions 3! are gripped between the jawsl0 and 15, the iopper 2E obviously is held securely against movement inany direction relative to the superstructure and the frame l. At thesame time the feet. are supported out of contact with the knife edges3?, as shown in Figure 3 consequently, when the combine is moved over afield. during its operation, and during the gradual filling of thehopper, there will be no lateral or longitudinal thrust transmitted fromthe feet 35 to the weighing mechanism and, consequently,

said mechanism will not be injured or have any of its parts displacedbecause of excessive strains. After the hopper 2i is filled and whilethe machine is still in the field, said machine is brought to a stop butbefore the contents of the hopper are discharged into a wagon or intosacks 1 other containers, said contents are first weighed so that acorrect record may be kept of the grain delivered. To effect theweighing operation it is merely necessary for the operator to swing arms33 so as to move the arms l8 away from stops 32 and pass their deadcenters. This allow the plungers l3 to move downwardly .der the weightof the load transmitted thereto through the lugs 38 and this movementwill in turn result in the feet 35 coming gradually into contact withthe knife edges 31. As a result of this operation the arms 38 will beswung downwardly and the two shafts 39 given a rotary motion. Thuslevers 40 will be swung downwardly and notion will be transmittedtherefrom through link 4! to lever 42 and thence to the scale beam.Allowance having previously been made for the weight of the hopper 2iand its frame 29, the weights on the scale beam 58 can quickly adjustedso as to acciu'ately weigh the contents of the hopper. The eafter arms33 can be svrur in the opposite direction to elevate the plungers 3G andbring the parts to the positions shown in Figure 6 so that the hopperthus will be held securely against movement. With the parts thus locatedthe gate 24 is opened and the contents the hopp r will be free togravitate into the container provided therefor. After the gate has beenclosed the combine can continue on its way, the threshed grain beingelevated to the hopper after which the operation can be completed.

The scale mechanism, exclusive of the bin. and its locking means, can bemade detachable from the superstructure E if so desired so that it canbe set up at any desired point on the ground for the purpose ofeffecting weighing operations independently of the hopper. Sucharrangement is so obvious that no detailed illustration or descriptionthereof appears to be necessary.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with the wheel-supported frame of a combine, andweighing scales movable with the frame, said scales includingdepressible levers, of a hopper for receiving threshed grain,cooperating means carried by said levers and the hopper for transmittingmotion from the hopper to the levers, and separate means under thecontrol of an operator for simultaneously releasing the weighingmechanism from the weight of the hopper and supporting the hopperrigidly relative to the frame, said means being shiftable to release thehopper for application of its weight to the weighing mechanism andincluding separate pairs of opposed fixed and movable jaws carried bythe frame, a member carried by the hopper and extending between thejaws, and means for shifting the movable jaws toward or from the fixedjaws to bind upon or to release said member.

2. The combination with the wheel-supported frame of a combine, andweighing scales movable with the frame, said scales includingdepressible levers, of a hopper for receiving threshed grain,cooperating means carried by said levers and the hopper for transmittingmotion from the hopper to the levers, and separate means under thecontrol of an operator for simultaneously releasing the weighingmechanism from the weight of the hopper and supporting the hopperrigidly relative to the frame, said means being shiftable to release thehopper for application of its weight to the weighing mechanism andincluding separate pairs of opposed fixed and movable jaws, a membercarried by the hopper and extending between the jaws, means for shiftingthe movable jaw toward or from the fixed jaw to bind upon or to releasesaid member, and means for adjusting the movable jaw relative tothefixed jaw.

3. .The combination with a combine includin a wheel-supported frame,weighing mechanism including a depressible lever, and a grain receivinghopper, of cooperating means on the hopper and lever for. transmittingmotion from said hopper to the lever, and separate means under thecontrol of an operator for simultaneously releasing the weighingmechanism from the Weight of the hopper and supporting the hopperrigidly relative to the frame and for releasing the supported hopper forapplication of its weight to the weighing mechanism, said meansincluding separate pairs of superposed fixed and movable jaws, a memberextending from the hopper and interposed between the jaws, a togglemovable past a dead center to shift the movable jaw and grip said memberbetween the jaws, and means for actuating the toggle.

4. The combination with a combine including a wheel-supported frame,weighing mechanism including a depressible lever, and a grain receivinghopper, of cooperating means on the hopper and lever for transmittingmotion from said hopper to the lever, and separate means under thecontrol of an operator for simultaneously releasing the weighingmechanism from the weight of the hopper and supporting the hopperrigidly relative to the frame, and for releasing the hopper forapplication of its weight to the weighing mechanism, each of said meansincluding superposed fixed and movable jaws, a member extending from thehopper and interposed between the jaws, a toggle movable past a deadcenter to shift the movable jaw and grip said member between the jaws,means for actuating the toggle, and means for adjustably connectingeachmovable jaw to its operating means.

5. The combination with a combine including a wheel-supported frame,weighing mechanism including a depressible lever, and a grain receivinghopper, of cooperating means on the hopper and lever for transmittingmotion from said hopper to the lever, and means for locking the hopperagainst movement relative to the lever and wheel-supported frame, eachof said means including a standard having a longitudinal recess, saidstandard being fixedly mounted relative to the wheel-supported frame, ajaw at one end of the standard, a plunger slidably mounted in thestandard, a jaw carried by the plunger, a member extending from thehopper and interposed between the jaws, and means under the control ofan operator for actuating the plunger to bind said member between thejaws.

6. The combination with a combine including a wheel-supported frame,weighing mechanism including a depressible lever, and a grain receivinghopper, of cooperating means on the hopper and lever for transmittingmotion from said hopper to the lever, and means for locking the hopperagainst movement relative to the lever and wheel-supported frame, eachof said means including a standard having a longitudinal recess, saidstandard being fixedly mounted relative to the wheel-supported frame, ajaw at one end of the standard, a plunger slidably mounted in thestandard, a jaw carried by the plunger, a member extending from thehopper and interposed between the jaws, and means under the control ofan operator for actuating the plunger to bind said member between thejaws, said actuating means including a toggle, means for limiting themovement of the toggle in one direction when moved past said deadcenter.

'7. In a combine the combination with a wheelsupported frame, weighingscales thereon including a depressible lever, a grain receiving hopper,and means for transmitting motion from said hopper to the lever, ofseparate means under the control of an operator for simultaneouslyreleasing the weighing mechanism from the weight of the hopper andsupporting the hopper rigidly relative to the frame, and also forreleasing the hopper for application of its weight to the weighingmechanism, each of said means including a recessed standard, a jaw atone end thereof, a member fixedly connected to and extending from thehopper and movable within the recess, means at one side of the recessand cooperating with said member for holding the hopper against movementin one direction relative to the standard, a movable jaw within therecess, a plunger adjustably engaged by the jaw and slidable in thestandard, and means for actuating the plunger to bind said memberbetween the jaws.

HENRY J. HEKRDLE.

